West junior Izzy Jeffs was looking forward to watching the Commonwealth Games on television – now the 18-year-old from Taunton will appearing on the small screen herself.

Jeffs will make her senior international debut for England in Delhi after UK No 1 Goldie Sayers was forced to pull out with a hip injury.

"I had never thought about the Commonwealth Games at all and I'm so excited," said Jeffs. "I just thought I would be watching it on TV with everyone else and now I'm going to be there. It is a great opportunity for me."

Jeffs' big target for the summer had been the World Junior Championships but she just missed out on that, achieving the qualifying standard too late to be considered.

An English Schools' title and a recent PB of 54.89m, which puts her third in the UK Senior Rankings, looked like being the highlights of the summer until Jeffs, who is coached by Simon de Wilton in Taunton, got the call to become one of the youngest members of the team heading to India.

Defending champion Claire Hallissey returned from America on Thursday, and as long as she shakes off her jet-lag she will be a strong contender to retain her Bristol half marathon title.

However, the Bristol & West AC runner will face a very tough challenge from Ethiopian Taye Yimenash, who boasts a personal best of 71:10.

Michelle Ross-Cope, former international Liz Yelling, Kat Grimmett – runner-up in Bristol last year in a PB of 73.08 – and Bath-based international Holly Rush are also among the 16,400 entries.

West Country runners Kevin Heywood, Simon Plummer and Kairn Stone are among a strong men's entry for the race, which as well as incorporating the UK and AAA of England Championships is the trial from which the squad will be picked to represent Britain at the World Championships in China.

Exeter Harriers women face a momentous day of action today. Team manager Dave Robinson has been forced to juggle his resources as the club contest the British Athletics League 10 in 100 Cup for the first time while also closing in on the Division Three title of the Southern Women's League. Bristol & West AC are also in London, with the men's team contesting the cup final and the women in the plate.

Gloucestershire's Kate Goodhead is in Slovenia to represent Great Britain at the World Mountain Running Championships (uphill).